Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs, & Lullabies

I will confess at the outset that I did not read this in print format; I listened to the audiobook. Can you blame me? Who wouldn't want to hear the poems and lullabies in this book read by Julie Andrews? (Her elocution alone makes me long for the days of finishing schools!) So take this for what it is: a review of the audio version, admittedly absent of consideration for the watercolors that accompany the text.

It is fun. And that's about it. Andrews' collaboration with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, is enjoyable in the shallow way that you enjoy a decent cover of one of your favorite songs. However, it lacks the passion and inspiration that I'd hoped for. The choices of poems and songs for inclusion is truly what Andrews and Hamilton claim them to be: nothing more than their favorites from throughout the years. In that way, my disappointment is a bit unwarranted; after all, they never claimed this collection to be the end all and be all of children's poetry collections. Andrews' reading is delightful, and Hamilton's is adequate. The stories behind their favorites are nice, if what you are interested in is their family life rather than the poems themselves. Nice. It's all just... nice.

Verdict: If I were to purchase a multi-author poetry collection (audio or print!) for my family, I'd still go with John Lithgow's gorgeous romp for all ages, Poets' Corner.